Nut-lock.



[UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIE NOBLE," OF WEST UNION, WEST VIRGINIA.

-NUT-7LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,847, dated February3, 1903. Application filed July 23,1902. Serial No. 116,652. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIE NOBLE, a citi-' nut-lock having novel detailsof construction which are simple and practical and adapt the improvementfor general application to screwbolts without alteration of said boltsand also for application upon square or hexagonal nuts with but slightchange, that will not materially increase their cost of production, the:nuts being held at any desired point on the bolt-thread againstaccidental displacement, but being capable of removal by a suitablewrench.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combinationofparts, as is hereinafter described,and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indi catecorresponding. parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a partly-sectional side view of a nut and a side view of theimproved notlock engaged with. a toothed surface on the nut. Fig. 2 isan enlarged end view of a nut, a transverse sectional View of abolt-body whereon the nut is screwed, and'a plan view of the improvednut-lock engaging the nut and bolt thread. Fig. 3 is an end view of anut having its end wall serrated to engage with the improved nut-lock,and Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the improved nut-lock.

This invention provides means for the retention of nuts on screw-boltsof variousdimensions and permits their removal as occasion may require,one use for the improvement shown to illustrate its applicationconsisting in the employment of the improved nut-lock for securing'thenuts of screw-bolts that hold in place fish-plates at the joints betweenthe ends of railroad-track rails, as represented in Fig. 1.

The bolt 5 may have a hexagonal head 5 on one end, and the nut 6 may behexagonal, as shownv in Fig. 1, or be square, as represented by thedesignating character 7 in Figs.

lar in cross-section and bent circularly so as to produce an open ringof suitable diameter. One end of the open ringis out at or neara rightangle to the lower flat surface of the dog 9,

while the portion of the material at and near the opposite end thereofis sloped on the upper side, as at 9 so as to provide a lockingtoe d atthe extremity of this sloped end, said toe having a slightly-downwardinclination, as is shown Figs. 1 and 4. To facilitate the insertion ofthe sloped end 9*, it is reduced somewhat in width toward the toe (1,thus avoiding friction on the washer 8.

Upon the inner surface of the circular dog 9 a V-shaped tooth e isformed, preferably opposite the toe d, and when the circular nutlockbody 9 is mounted upon the threaded portion a of the bolt 5 the tooth 6will loosely contact with the thread a.

Upon one side of the nut 6 or 7, that is disposed adjacent to thenut-lock or dog 9, a series of tooth-like indents g are formed and. arearranged circularly, radiating from the threaded hole in the nut.

When the improvement is applied for the retention of the nut 6or 7 uponthe threaded body of the bolt 5, the circular dog or nutlock 9 ismounted upon the projecting end of the bolt and the smaller end of itsconiform the nut 6 upon the nut-lock or dog 9. The turning of the nut 6,so as to screw it upon the bolt-body, serves to contract the diameter ofthe circular nut-lock or dog 9, which will press the tooth e against thethread a and prevent the nut-lock or dog from turning on the bolt, thiscontraction of the nut-lock permitting the nut to bear upon the washer8, and thus render the connection reliable.

It will be seen that the rotatable adjustment of the nut 6, so as tocomplete the clamping of the fish-plates upon the Webs of trackrails,will adapt the toe cl to enter an appropriate indent g in the nut, andthus reliably hold the nut from reverse rotation. As the indents g areshallow, it is evident that by the use of a suitable wrench the nut 6 or7 may be unscrewed from the bolt and replaced an indefinite number oftimes.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the improvementmay be applied to bolts and nuts of various sizes, that the bolts neednot be changed in any respect, that the indents in the ends of the nutsmay be formed while the nuts are pressed into form, so that this willnot add to the cost, and, furthermore, that the nut-lock proper isextremely simple, may be formed rapidly by simple machinery, and may beproduced at a very low cost.

The improvement has been described as applied to railroad-trackconstruction; but ohviously the device is available for use on bolts andnuts in any construction where a nutlock would be advantageous.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A nut-lock, comprising an open metal ring,essentially triangular in cross-section, sloped on the thinfedge at andnear one end to form a thin extremity, a locking-toe bent down at saidextremity, and a tooth formed on the inner side of the ring opposite theopening therein.

2. The combination with a screw-bolt and a nut thereon, said nut havinga series of indents at one end, of a nut-lock formed as an open ring,sloped at one end to sharpen it, said end being bent down to form alockingtoe to engage the indents on the nut, and a tooth projectinginward from the inner surface of the open ring opposite its opening, tocontact with the thread of the bolt when the nut-lock is applied forholding the nut from unscrewing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIE NOBLE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. KNIGHT, ARTHUR INGLE.

